As Iran’s diplomatic team set out to reshape the country’s tarnished image, Mr.Zarif’s page gained more fans. The page, written in Persian, has over 358,000 followers. Every time Mr.Zarif updates his status with a casual report of his meetings at the U.N. in NY or shares a line of poetry it generates upward of 40,000 likes and an average of 5,000 comments.

As a comparison, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s official fan page managed by his staff has over 26,000 likes and postings get a few hundred likes and comments.

Every day, thousands of Iranian men and women, from around the country, pen their requests to Mr.Zarif:

“One picture with you and John Kerry will bring hope to the entire nation. Please don’t let this opportunity pass,” wrote a man named Khosro Qajar.

“I beg you all to compromise with the U.S. People are under pressure, end the hostilities,” wrote a doctorate student of psychology named Farnaz Dehkhoda.

“You should be our representative, defend our rights instead of worrying about the Palestinians. All of our eyes and hopes are on you,” wrote a young man from Shiraz named Mohammad Nematollahi.

“May God protect you for making our nation happy. Enough with wars and sanctions,” wrote Masoud Hashemi, who said he was a victim of Iraq’s chemical attacks on Iranian troops.

Mr.Zarif’s account of the phone call between Iran and American presidents generated 8,000 comments and 42,000 likes.

“We owe our smiles to you,” wrote Payam Safipour.

“Thank you, Thank you Mr.Zarif. We wish you health and success,” wrote a woman from the Kurdish city of Paveh.

The attraction of Mr.Zarif’s page is that he treats is as part diary and part direct communication channel with fans and critics. He starts every entry by addressing readers as “Dear Friends.”

He recently shared what he had for lunch in NY: two slices of vegetarian pizza. Where he went for a stroll and fresh air: Central Park’s lake. His wife’s suggestion for a poetry post: verses from Rumi.

Mr.Zarif’s communication with his Facebook followers included musings on how the road to normalizing relations with the U.S, will be rocky and patience is needed; expressing disappointment in the ‘unwise’ actions of hardliner protestors who threw a shoe at Mr.Rouhani upon his return to Tehran and criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the U.N.

Mr.Zarif is a popular politician but the fascination with his Facebook page largely stems from its novelty. The Iranian public has never had such an uncensored direct link to an official. And likewise no official has taken up giving daily updates and musings to the public.

“I swear to God, it feels like my best friend is the foreign minister. We love it,” wrote a young man named Hadi Rasm, a graphic designer from Tehran, on Mr.Zarif’s page on Tuesday.